Prostitution in Indonesia

Prostitution in Indonesia is legally considered a "crime against decency/morality", although it is widely practiced, tolerated and regulated. Some women are financially motivated to become prostitutes, while others may be forced by friends, relatives or strangers. Traditionally, they have met with customers in entertainment venues or special prostitution complexes, or lokalisasi. However, recently internet forums and Facebook have been used to facilitate prostitute-client relations. In recent years, child sex tourism has become an issue at the resort islands of Batam and Bali. Female sex tourism also emerged in the late 20th century in Bali. Tens of thousands of single women throng the beaches of Bali in Indonesia every year. For decades, young Balinese men have taken advantage of the louche and laid-back atmosphere to find love and lucre from female tourists—Japanese, European and Australian for the most part—who by all accounts seem perfectly happy with the arrangement.

In Indonesia, one of the main reasons for a prostitute to enter the business is the attractiveness of earning money quickly. The Jakarta Post reported that high-end prostitutes in Jakarta could earn Rp 15 million - Rp 30 million (USD 1,755 to 3,510) monthly, able to charge more than Rp 3 million (USD 350) per session for their services. Those entering prostitution for money come from both middle-class and poor families.

Another major cause is coercion (see "Forced prostitution" for general discussion). Young women are offered employment opportunities in major cities, then raped and forced to prostitute themselves while paying money to their pimps. They may also be sold by their parents. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that roughly 70 percent of Indonesian child prostitutes are brought into the trade by their family or friends.

Prostitution exists in many forms and is practiced by many different sexes, genders, orientations and ages. Bali, for example, is known for its 'Kuta Cowboys', male sex workers who solicit foreign tourists.

...
Wikipedia